FASoS - alumni
Are you a graduate from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences? We value our alumni and would be keen to keep in touch with you and welcome you to our Alumni network. So stay connected and make sure your contact details are up to date .
Alumni can highly contribute to the development of our educational programmes and play an important role in career development and employability of our students. Sharing your work experience can help our students in their preparation for the job market and provide them with valuable information on the professional world. If you are interested in contributing to events (e.g. Bachelor or Master Open Days) or if you would like to write a testimonial about how your study helped you with your professional career then please let us know.
Through the Maastricht University Alumni circles you can also visit Alumni events and stay in touch with your fellow graduates or meet Maastricht University Alumni from all over the world.
To keep you informed about our alumni activities, it would be helpful if you provide us with your personal data via de form below.
Stay in touch with FASoS
Stay in touch with your fellow alumni and FASoS staff members via LinkedIn. Make sure to follow FASoS, and join your programmes private group:
UM alumni and the labour market
Every year, Maastricht University surveys the labour market position of its alumni. We execute this investigation among master alumni who graduated 1, respectively 5 and 10 years ago.
The surveys provide for an interesting picture of the transition into the labour market of our graduates. Some remarkable findings of the 2018 edition are:
- More than 75% of our alumni work in a job requiring at least a master’s degree.
- More than 75% of our alumni work in a job that logically relates to their master programme.
- One year after graduation, alumni earn on average €2700 gross per month. 5 years after graduation, this increases to €3800, and another 5 years later this is €4400. They mostly work 40 hours per week (contract hours). It is good to realize that there are large differences across study programme.
- 5 years after graduation, two thirds of our alumni is employed at the same employer they started their career. 5 years later, this is still almost 50%.
- However, for both cohorts (5 and 10 years after graduation) we see that almost 50% wants to change employers, and almost one third actually expects to do so within a year.
- Finally, one year after graduation, no less than 89% of the alumni say they are (very) satisfied about their Master programme.
- In addition, 80% of the alumni would again choose the same programme at Maastricht University if they had to make that decision again. 5 and 10 years later these percentages are still high, 75% and 73%, respectively. In addition, if they would make a different choice, a large number of graduates would stay loyal to Maastricht University. In fact, we find that for each cohort only 10% would actually prefer another university.
For more interesting results of these surveys, please visit the website of our ROA, our institute for labour market research: www.roa.nl, see publications/factsheets. We gratefully thank all alumni for participating in this research. Among the respondents, we selected five to receive a prize (subscription to a magazine). The winners in 2019 are Nina Bertels, Muyun Zhang, Lisanne Renskers, Lukas Bornemann and one graduate who preferred not to be mentioned here.
News
Leading actor in the European Parliament
- Corporate
- Featured
- Students
- UM news
As a fresh-faced student, Jeroen Lenaers had no idea where a degree in European Studies would take him.
FASoS alumna Tessa Groen wins Higher Education Thesis Award
Tessa Groen, alumna of the Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology research master at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS), h
FASoS alumna Lea Beiermann shortlisted for Thesis Award
Lea Beiermann is one of the three remaining candidates for the 2019 Gewina-Descartes-Huygens Thesis Award.
Prize Winning Bachelor European Studies thesis published in EuropeNow
- UM news
Alumna Evelin Rizzo (Bachelor European Studies) has published her prize winning bachelor's thesis in EuropeNow.
Alumni events
Testimonials from FASoS alumni about the faculty, the programme they graduated from and their current jobs.
Video testimonials
Amelie Soares, Alumna BA Digital Society
Amelie was one of the first students who graduated from the BA Digital Society in 2022. She shares her experiences with the programme and her time in Maastricht in a video.
Valery Bermúdez García, alumna MA Globalisation and Development Studies
Alumna Valery Bermúdez García talks about why she has chosen the Globalisation and Development Studies programme and what she learned during her studies in Maastricht.
Caro Burggraaf, alumna MA Kunst en Erfgoed
Alumna Caro Burggraaf shares her experiences with the MA programma Kunst en Erfgoed en talks about her career als programme advisor at the Cultural participation Fund (Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie).
Video Caro Burggraaf (in Dutch)
Joost Verheggen, alumnus MA Kunst en Erfgoed
Joost Verheggen talks about his experience with the MA programme Kunst en Erfgoed and his current job as marketing manager at the Dutch Chamber choir (Nederlands Kamerkoor).
Video Joost Verheggen (in Dutch)
Jesper Daniek Saman, alumnus MA European Public Affairs
In this video, Jesper Daniek Saman, alumnus MA European Public Affairs, explains the connections between his educational background and his current job position in the Dutch Embassy in Italy. Jesper maintains his vision to contribute to society as he believes that the European Public Affairs master’s taught him that “the European citizens should be given an important voice”.
Shaun Matsheza, alumnus MA Media Studies - Digital Cultures
In this short video Shaun Matsheza talks about how the Media Studies programme prepared him for his future career. Shaun is editor at WAZAONLINE.com in the Netherlands.
Maria Neicu, alumna MA ESST
Maria Neicu, alumna of the FASoS master's programme ESST shares her experience with the programme and how it helped her with her future career. Maria works as Knowledge Manager at Spencer Stuart in Amsterdam.
Simone Leimbach, alumna MA Arts & Heritage
This video is a short interview with Simone Leimbach, Master Arts and Heritage alumnus. She talks about her master’s experience and about her current job at Kulturprojekte Berlin.
Veerle Spronck, alumna Research MA Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology
Veerle Spronck, Alumna Master's programme Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology shares her experience with the programme. Veerle now works as a PhD Candidate at FASoS. In this video she talks about her "Life after FASoS".
Dani Shanley, alumna MA Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology
In this video Dani Shanley shares her experience with the programme and talks about her position as a PhD Candidate at FASoS
Kaatje Lomme, alumna BA Arts & Culture
In this short video Kaatje Lomme, bachelor Arts & Culture graduate, tells you more about her experience at FASoS and how her study helped her in her career. Kaatje is project manager at he University College London.
Hiemke van den Boer, alumna MA Arts & Heritage
This video is a short interview with Hiemke van den Boer, Master Arts and Heritage alumnus. Hiemke talks about her master’s experience and about her current job at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.
Lotte van Boxem, alumna BA Cultuurwetenschappen and MA ESST
In this short video Lotte van Boxem tells you more about her experience at FASoS and how her study helped her in her career. Lotte studied 'Cultuurwetenschappen' (bachelor's programme) and continued at FASoS with the ESST Masters programme. Lotte works at Biofrum in Antwerp.
Written testimonials
Anne-Sophie Oppor, Alumna BA Digital Society
Anne-Sophie Oppor studied the bachelor’s programme Digital Society in the first cohort starting in 2019 and finishing in 2022.
Elena Dimitrova, Alumna BA and MA European Studies (International Relations)
In my view one of the best aspects of the European Studies programme is its interdisciplinary approach and that you are able to switch from different topics such as: economics, law and international relations.
Kim Graves, alumna MA European Public Affairs
The EPA programme in Maastricht is unique in various ways. The most important aspect is the practical aspects of the course and the way it prepares you for working in and around the EU institutions in Brussels.
Shelly Tsui, alumna BA Arts and Culture and MA European Studies on Society, Science and Technology
I was drawn to two features that I think made the bachelor's programme in Arts and Culture very unique: the cultural lens to studying societal issues, and the emphasis on interdisciplinarity. I was taught a variety of theories, concepts, and methods. After my graduation, I chose to stay at UM and did my master’s in European Studies in Society, Science and Technology, with a specialisation in Science and Public Policy.
Sophie Quesnel, alumna BA European Studies
My time in Maastricht was an amazing and very unique time that definitely shaped my personality and my professional career. It was challenging and it definitely gave me a strong basis on which to build my adult life.
Vittorio Capici, alumnus BA European Studies
The bachelor’s programme in European Studies was a milestone for my personal and professional growth. The study programme was culturally enriching, intellectually very challenging at times, and heterogeneous for the disciplines it offered to us students. The PBL made it even more unique as it pushed us to often work in groups, to question our ideas and ideals and to get out of our comfort zone.
Daniëlle N. Carter, Alumna MA Arts and Heritage
The master's programme gave me the grounding and expertise I need to copyedit texts written by academics and professionals in arts, culture, and heritage. I still rely on my background in art history and the arts and cultural sector in my day-to-day work.
Alice Vandenberghe, Alumna BA European Studies
I truly think that my studies in Maastricht have been a pivot in my academic and professional journey, as it opened the doors to an international environment while gaining all the academic knowledge necessary to pursue my career.
Jack van den Berg, alumnus MA European Studies (Public Policy and Administration)
For me the master European Studies was the most natural step to gain more experience in the field of Political Science with a focus on the European Union.
Sarah Henkel, Alumna MA European Studies (International Relations)
Besides the critical examination of EU policies, I liked about the MA in European Studies that we were taught a variety of skills, which proved very useful when entering professional life.
Maximilian Rech, alumnus MA European Studies
Leverage problem based learning to become a mover & shaker in international careers!
As Maastricht University graduate student, I often struggled with PBL, group work and the free rider phenomenon. Beginning my career, I quickly realised that I was open-minded, flexible, and well adapted to the fast-paced international work environment.
Read more
Martin Wirtz, alumnus Research Master European Studies
After three years of European Studies as a Bachelor student, I was still fascinated by the process of European integration. The Research Master’s programme in European Studies did not only provide me with further knowledge regarding the many questions I had, but also taught me how to do research on my own.
Anka Schild, alumna MA European Public Affairs
I chose Maastricht University because of its international character, innovative ways of teaching, and the charming city in which it is located. After 5 years of studies, I had completed the Bachelor European Studies and Master European Public Affairs, and spent 2 exciting semesters living and studying in Edinburg and Vermont.
Read more
Lelde Čukure, alumna Research Master European Studies
I decided to study at Maastricht University because of the good references about the quality of the studies. At first, I didn't know what the research master's programme would be like, I was tempted by the focus on research methods and the option to have a Double Degree at the University of Cologne.
Jeroen Lenaers, alumnus MA European Studies
Being the most international university in The Netherlands, Maastricht University is the perfect starting point for pursuing a career without borders. It was only when I started working in the European Parliament that I fully realised how much I benefited from my years of studying European Studies in Maastricht. During the Masters programme you study the European Union in a diverse, exciting and multidimensional way.
Olga Burlyuk, alumna MA European Studies
As a Ukrainian student about to obtain a BA in Law degree with a specialisation in international and European law, I was looking for a study programme that would allow me to learn more about the politics side of things.
Robert Francis, alumnus European Public Affairs
In choosing the Masters in European Public Affairs, I was anticipating an international atmosphere, a good grounding for a career in EU affairs, and an opportunity to study in a beautiful city literally at the crossroads of Europe. From the first day, it was clear that I had not been mistaken.
David Deprez, alumnus BA Arts & Culture
“My field of work increasingly asks for professionals who can offer building blocks for strategy. A degree in AC/CW from Maastricht University prepares students for this, as it develops the student’s professional skills, as well as providing them with the knowledge they need”. David Deprez, is Artistic Director at Lumiere Cinema.
Stories
"Bridge Builder" on an adventure in Brussels
Rick Maijer graduated cum laude from the bachelor’s in European Studies at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. He then obtained a master’s in European Public Affairs at Maastricht University, including an internship at the European Institute of Public Administration.
After graduating in 2009 he joined Zuyd as an international officer and lecturer in EU affairs/coordinator. He now works as a public affairs adviser for the Province of Limburg and lives and works alternately in Maastricht and Brussels.
Bureau Europe: Remco Beckers
Remco Beckers, project coordinator at the architecture institute Bureau Europa, studied Arts and Culture and the Research Master in Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology in the hope of going into research. Although an academic career is not yet on the cards, he’s happy to have completed these interdisciplinary programmes. “I look at the world differently now; it shaped me as a person.”
Made in Maastricht: Jan-Joseph Stock
Friday 24 February marked a momentous occasion for alum Jan-Joseph Stok. Following six years of hard work, the documentary Che in Congo - A Dream of Liberation on which he collaborated with producer/director Ben Crowe saw its European premiere at the international documentary festival DOCfeed in Eindhoven.
